A study seminar on “Decent work and agriculture: so that no one stays behind” was organised by the Permanent Mission of the Holy See at Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), World Food Program (WFP) and Rome forum of Catholic NGOs on July 8, 2021. The issue of decent work is at the centre of the UN 2030 Agenda, to promote more inclusive economic growth. Indeed, the full achievement of sustainable development must be accompanied by economic growth, social justice and employment prospects. Decent work is not an abstract concept but the goal of a concrete path to reduce inequalities, increase resilience and improve the lives of billions of people. There is still too much suffering resulting from the forms of precarious work, human trafficking, forced labor, and youth unemployment.

Dr. Haridas V.R Thematic Manager, Climate Justice Caritas India shared the practical experiences of Caritas India in promoting climate-resilient sustainable farming practices during his sharing about “Agriculture and decent work, Good practices from Caritas India”.   The Church has this particular issue at heart and has made it a central topic of her social doctrine. Guaranteeing decent work for all is the way forward to ensure that each human being has access to their own personal fulfillment with the possibility of contributing to the common good, to the care of creation and to the construction of lasting peace. Pope Francis, since the beginning of his pontificate, has given the word “dignity” a profound meaning in his interventions about work. It is a question of generating, promoting, and accompanying processes that give rise to new opportunities for decent work, especially for young people.

With reference to the agricultural sector, the Holy See is convinced of the need to adopt a culture of agricultural work that has its foundations in the centrality of the human person. Protecting workers’ rights makes it possible to support a fair agri-food chain, especially for small producers, to generate well-being in local communities and to promote social cohesion.

Being aware of the importance of the Food Systems Summit, which will take place in September, we want to draw attention once again to the fatigue of agricultural work, which must fully recover its dignity and give people the opportunity to express themselves and contribute fully to the integral development of society.

The study seminar was moderated by Dr. Vincenzo Conso, Coordinator of the Rome Forum. Prof. Gabriele Canali, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart. Piacenza spoke on Essential workers in agri-food: the other side of sustainability. Dr. Onofrio Rota, General Secretary of FAI-CISL spoke of “Caporalato”, legality, and dignity of the person. Dr. Maurizio Martina, Assistant to the FAO Director-General explained the fight against illegal hiring and illegal work  IFAD’s work to ensure the dignity of rural producers at work was shared by Federica Cerulli Irelli, Senior Partnership Officer, Global Engagement, Partnership, and Resource Mobilization. IFAD. A chance for every schoolchild: Ensuring nutritious & healthy lives for children everywhere was the topic shared by  Dr. Maria José Rojas, Head of Partnerships and Advocacy, School Feeding Division. WFP. Father Bruno Ciceri, cs, Director of the international network “Stella Maris” at the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, Vatican CITY spoke on the voice of fishermen in stormy waters.

Prof. Carlo Maria Marenghi, Legal Advisor of the Permanent Mission of the Holy See to the UN Geneva shared his views on Social Justice, decent work, and human dignity. The Holy See and the International Labour Organization: Common Pathways to Work. Dotts.sa Maruja M.B. Assis, Executive Director, Scalabrini Migration Center. Manila shared practical experiences on “Seeds of Hope: Youth involvement in agriculture in the Philippines”. Rural development and work: the experience of the “Social Promotion Foundation” in the promotion of women in the Palestinian territories was shared by Dr. Mayte Illàn, Head of Mission in the Middle East. Fernando Chica Arellano, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to FAO, IFAD, and WFP gave the concluding remarks in the study seminar.